Residents press council for stricter e-bike enforcement and park controls ahead of July state rules
April 13, 2026 | Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey
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Residents at the April 13 Perth Amboy City Council meeting urged the city to tighten enforcement of e-bike and bicycle rules and to act to protect parks and boardwalk areas as warmer weather brings larger crowds.
One resident described instances of riders using sidewalks and boardwalks at speed, said they had seen motorcycles and ebikes without helmets or plates, and warned that "someone's going to get hurt." The same resident urged stepped-up enforcement on Smith Street and other high‑traffic areas.
Police officials told the council they are increasing enforcement and shared preliminary figures for the first three months of the year: "for the first three months of the year there's over 8,000 summonses that were issued citywide," a police representative said, adding that more than 4,000 were for parking offenses and the remainder for motor‑vehicle offenses (speeding, careless driving, cell‑phone violations and similar statutes). The official also said the department had confiscated multiple dirt bikes recently and was initiating forfeiture proceedings.
Council and staff said the city is in an "education" phase ahead of July, when a state law taking effect will add clearer age, helmet and registration requirements for e‑bikes. "Come mid‑July that law kicks in," a council member said, noting the city is working with schools and community partners to educate students and parents before full enforcement begins.
Speakers asked for visible, sustained foot patrols and said they feared that enforcement would fall unevenly on certain neighborhoods if education did not accompany policing. City staff and police said they would continue enforcement, community outreach and interagency coordination and that ticketing numbers are likely higher when handwritten summonses are included in the data.
The council did not adopt new e‑bike regulations at the meeting; officials said they would proceed with outreach and enforcement consistent with state law.
One resident described instances of riders using sidewalks and boardwalks at speed, said they had seen motorcycles and ebikes without helmets or plates, and warned that "someone's going to get hurt." The same resident urged stepped-up enforcement on Smith Street and other high‑traffic areas.
Police officials told the council they are increasing enforcement and shared preliminary figures for the first three months of the year: "for the first three months of the year there's over 8,000 summonses that were issued citywide," a police representative said, adding that more than 4,000 were for parking offenses and the remainder for motor‑vehicle offenses (speeding, careless driving, cell‑phone violations and similar statutes). The official also said the department had confiscated multiple dirt bikes recently and was initiating forfeiture proceedings.
Council and staff said the city is in an "education" phase ahead of July, when a state law taking effect will add clearer age, helmet and registration requirements for e‑bikes. "Come mid‑July that law kicks in," a council member said, noting the city is working with schools and community partners to educate students and parents before full enforcement begins.
Speakers asked for visible, sustained foot patrols and said they feared that enforcement would fall unevenly on certain neighborhoods if education did not accompany policing. City staff and police said they would continue enforcement, community outreach and interagency coordination and that ticketing numbers are likely higher when handwritten summonses are included in the data.
The council did not adopt new e‑bike regulations at the meeting; officials said they would proceed with outreach and enforcement consistent with state law.
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